Meatless dinners even your boyfriend will love

I won my husband’s heart with a stuffed mushroom. That’s right, you heard me: a portobello mushroom stuffed with two of his least favorite foods—tomatoes and olives.

It was five years ago this summer; our second date. I already knew I liked him. A lot. And I wanted to cook him dinner—a fantastic mouth-watering dinner to impress him and win him over forever. I wasn’t eating meat at the time, so I picked this recipe that sounded meaty and satisfying: Tomato-&-Olive-Stuffed Portobello Caps, which get all smoky and yummy on the grill. They were unbelievably good; I even impressed myself.

You know how he won my heart? He ate everything on his plate—even though he detests tomatoes and olives. That steak-loving man of mine loves a meaty meal, but what he loves more is being cared for with a home-cooked dinner that the two of us can enjoy together (I know that sounds cheesy, but it’s true—the family meal is sacred in our household). And if that means it’s meatless, well that’s fine by him!

And apparently he’s not alone. We get a ton of comments on our vegetarian recipes at EatingWell.com with the same sentiment: “This was so good even my meat-eating boyfriend loved it!” (Isn’t it interesting? Is there really such a gender gap when it comes to food preference?) Anyway, I wanted to share these recipes with all of you gals (or guys!) out there trying to win your S.O. over to a meatless dinner. Let me know what you think!

Here’s the recipe that won my husband over the first time:Tomato-&-Olive-Stuffed Portobello Caps
I love the juicy tomato and olive filling in these grilled mini casseroles. He loves the rich smoky flavor and gooey Cheddar cheese. Make it a meal: Serve them with whole-wheat couscous and a mixed green.

Here’s the recipe that wins him over again and again:Smoky Corn & Black Bean Pizza
I love this recipe because it’s quick and easy. He loves the smoky barbecue sauce and meaty black beans. Make it a meal: Toss the extra black beans, diced tomato and some avocado with prewashed salad greens and a tangy vinaigrette and dinner is on the table in no time.

And here’s the recipe that I’m going to make for our 5-year anniversary this month:Summer Vegetable Crêpes
I love this recipe because it’s gorgeous and it’s filled with some of my favorite summer veggies—green beans, zucchini and corn. He loves the ricotta cheese and creamy chive sauce on top. Make it a meal: Serve with a tossed salad.

What meatless meals keep your family happy? Tell us what you think below.